NC S645

Establishes a Short-Time Compensation Program effective July 1, 2013, allowing employers to reduce employee hours by 10-60% as an alternative to layoffs while employees receive partial unemployment benefits.

Requires employers to submit written plans to the Division of Employment Security for approval within 30 days, including affected units, notification procedures, hour reductions, and certification that health and retirement benefits will continue under the same terms.

Limits short-time compensation benefits to the weekly unemployment benefit amount multiplied by the percentage of hours reduction, with combined benefits capped at the regular unemployment compensation maximum and individual plans lasting no more than 52 weeks.

Allows the Division to revoke plan approval for good cause including non-compliance with plan assurances, unreasonable productivity standard changes, or violations of approval criteria.

Charges short-time compensation benefits to employers' experience rating accounts in the same manner as regular unemployment compensation, and allows exhausted short-time compensation recipients to qualify for extended benefits.